Salvage of Sunken Superyacht Bayesian Begins off Sicily
The operation will take nearly 20 days and the salvage is expected to cost around $30 million, covered by the yacht’s insurance.
The operation to raise the sunken superyacht Bayesian has begun off the coast of Sicily. The yacht sank during a violent storm on August 19, 2024, killing seven people, including British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah.
Two large floating cranes are working on the recovery: Hebo Lift 2, equipped with underwater robots and diving gear, and Hebo Lift 10, one of the strongest cranes in Europe, which arrived in Sicily from Rotterdam over the weekend.
The wreck lies 49 metres underwater near Porticello. To make lifting easier, the yacht’s 75-metre mast - the second tallest in the world - will be cut off. Once raised, the 56-metre yacht will be towed to the port of Termini Imerese, where Italian prosecutors will inspect it as part of an ongoing investigation.
The Italian coast guard is monitoring the area and expects the operation to take 20 to 25 days, depending on weather. A 650-metre exclusion zone has been set up around the site to keep the area safe.
Prosecutors are investigating the yacht’s captain and two crew members, but no one has been formally charged. The storm that sank the yacht is believed to have been caused by a sudden, powerful wind known as a downburst.
Other victims of the sinking include Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, U.S. lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and the yacht’s chef, Recaldo Thomas. Fifteen people survived, including Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who owns the company behind the yacht.
The salvage is expected to cost around $30 million, covered by the yacht’s insurance.
